McNees attorney Steve Matzura recently covered for the McNees Energy and Environmental User Blog the proposal by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) of a new rule that would expand the scope of its current authority over projects that withdraw and use water in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York. Per Steve’s analysis:
The proposal would amend application requirements and SRBC’s review standards for projects, as well as add an entire subpart to its regulations for registration and reporting of “grandfathered” projects (which previously were not regulated). Water users should expect additional regulation and scrutiny of all projects that involve withdrawals of surface water or groundwater and/or consumptive uses exceeding SRBC thresholds, whether they are new, existing, or (now) grandfathered projects.
Steve’s complete analysis of the new rule can be found here. In particular, the public comment period on SRBC’s proposal closes on January 30, 2017. We expect further developments on this issue of interest to municipalities thereafter.